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Demand for Australian wool in China has improved slightly. Overseas customers are waiting and reviewing again as caution prevails. The fake-fur season is considered over for now so processing trade must look to more normal regular items and lines of production. Gone are the traditional worsted suits and cheap V-neck sweaters that made up the corporate wardrobe for millennials entering the workforce. They are replaced by chinos (containing a high percentage of wool) and polos, tees and a multitude of knitted garments in various layers. High worth millennials are choosing a natural product like Merino while those with less worldly experience are buying polyester/nylon. Topmakers and traders are just looking to survive on a daily basis given the battering they have weathered with the recent downturn in prices.
Retailers are hoping that consumer confidence will not get waylaid in the lead up to Christmas. Spinners and knitters are looking at the topmakers and scouring parties and wondering how they can transfer some of their pain from previous high contract prices back to them. Unlike other fibers such as cashmere or silk, angora or mohair, it’s only wool that has so many different organisations and boards to oversee the production, packaging, testing, selling and shipment of the underlying raw material.
Australia’s cotton crop production has fallen 16 per cent compared to two years ago. The main reason is the drought. This year's cotton crop production in Australia is going to be the lowest in a decade. Just a few cotton producers have been able to access water—primarily groundwater—to grow crops this summer. Growers are resilient and used to managing through volatility, but the relentlessness and severity of this drought is taking its toll. In some cotton producing valleys, no cotton was planted this year. The beginning of the northern wet season was sluggish, with only a few cotton-producing regions receiving heavy rains. The Indian Ocean dipole positive event that has contributed to the ongoing dry spell is so strong it may not break down until mid-summer. While the planting window is still open if there is no significant rainfall in the coming months, cotton growers will face the harsh reality of a further reduced crop this season.
There are more than 1200 cotton farms in Australia. On an average, Australia’s cotton growers produce enough cotton to clothe 500 million people in a year. The major buyers of Australian cotton are: China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Bangladesh and Japan.
Millennials in the US insist on sustainable products. So, retailers, manufacturers and brands alike in the US are being forced to become environmentally aware. There’s a focus on less-disposable products across all consumer categories, including apparel. Brands are taking a closer look at their supply chains, manufacturing processes, overall and business practices in the context of environmental concerns. As the circular economy grows in importance, companies are researching and developing less environmentally damaging production methods and materials and communicating their commitment to sustainability to consumers.
When it comes to apparel manufacturing, sustainability initiatives can be particularly beneficial for the environment, too. Businesses are pushing their suppliers and partners to improve sustainability because sustainability helps buyers achieve cost efficiencies, improve revenues and boost profitability. Companies that make sustainability a priority stand to benefit immensely, as sustainability initiatives also force them to identify efficiencies in their operations, maximize their supply chains and minimize waste. The result is often an increase in yearly revenue and a renewed sense of loyalty among consumers who see the company as a champion for sustainability. Outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia produces new clothes in a smart, sustainable way. Fashion brand Reformation uses sustainable fabrics and upcycled materials in its clothing and ensures that it partners only with socially responsible suppliers.
Global denim fabric imports increased 9.4 per cent last year. Bangladesh, with a 25.5 per cent share of total imports, is the leading the pack. Vietnam follows with 7.6 per cent share; Hong Kong has a share of 7.4 per cent, Turkey 7.1 per cent and China’s share is 5.4 per cent.
China has a 42 per cent share of world denim exports. Pakistan has a 11.7 per cent share, India 8.2 per cent, followed by Hong Kong with 7.4 per cent and Turkey 6.8 per cent.
From January to July 2019, Turkey’s denim fabric imports decreased 23.6 percent. Pakistan has the biggest share of denim fabric imports into Turkey. Other countries from where Turkey imports are: Egypt, Italy and Ethiopia. In 2018 Turkey’s denim imports from Ethiopia increased by 58.2 per cent. Turkey exports denim to Germany, Spain, England, the Netherlands and Denmark. But looking at the most important denim market shares in Turkey’s exports in 2018, Tunisia comes first with a 16.2 per cent share, Egypt has a 13.9 per cent share and Italy has a share of 10.3 per cent.
India’s merchandise exports fell by 1.1 per cent in October. However, some large export items, such as gems and jewelry, chemicals, engineering goods and pharmaceuticals, grew. Readymade garment exports, for instance, fell by 2.1 per cent and petroleum products by 14.6 per cent. Gems and jewelry exports, however, grew by 6.02 per cent, chemicals 0.86 per cent, engineering goods 1.2 per cent and pharmaceuticals by 12.6 per cent.
Imports fell for the fifth month in a row. These include imports of coal, petroleum, chemicals, plastic materials, precious stones, iron and steel and electronic goods. However, gold imports picked up. The only silver lining signaling a probable revival in domestic investment activity was the fall in imports of electrical and non-electrical machinery and of transport equipment.
During the first seven months of the fiscal, exports contracted 2.2 per cent. A weakening external sector will put additional pressure on India’s growth, as GDP slowed to a six-year low of five per cent in the first quarter while consumption fell to a 18-quarter low.
Because of escalating trade tensions and a slowing global economy world merchandise trade volumes are now expected to rise just 1.2 per cent in 2019. Downside risks remain high. China’s October exports fell for the third straight month, down 0.9 per cent, while imports shrank for the sixth consecutive month.
Copenhagen Fashion Summit 2020 will focus on redesigning growth which will be its theme this year. The summit will urge industry leaders to harness the power of creativity and ingenuity to create a positive change.
The summit will also urge these industry leaders to think outside the box and investigate new business models that will challenge the traditional concept of prosperity. This will not only future proof their business, but also enable them to meet the needs of future generations.
Another topic of discussion at the summit will include how fashion industry leaders can approach profitability and reconfigure the parameters of success. These topics will be discussed at the summit that will bring together decision-makers from across the globe and present sustainable solutions.
Lee has relaunched the first ever denim it made for women in the 40s and 50s. While vintage sizing has been updated to reflect modern sizes, the thread choices, hardware and manufacturing processes are the same as they were back then. These pieces represent a time when Lee took what was made for men and created jeans made specifically for the female body. They were aimed at women who were riding horses, working in factories during the war, who were making things happen and looking cool and effortless while doing so.
The reissued jeans are for the same women, the ones who forge their own path with confidence and grace, the women who don’t believe being a tomboy or a girly girl are mutually exclusive. The collection includes the Lady Lee Rider, the original boyfriend jeans created in 1947; the Lee All Purpose Blue Jeans, a high-waisted wide leg introduced in 1950; the Lee Frontier Lady, a high-waisted, side-zip straight leg with pearl accents from 1952; the Lee Riders jacket from 1949; and a raw denim jacket and jeans set with classic white stitching.
Like many other denim brands, Lee has been riding the nostalgic wave for a while now.
Global organic cotton production has gone up 56 per cent, reveals Textile Exchange. India, Tanzania, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan and China all have significant areas of cotton-growing land in transition to organic. The number of facilities certified to voluntary organic standards is also on the rise. Cotton is grown organically in 19 countries around the world. Organic cotton now makes up 0.7 per cent of total cotton production globally. Most farmers engaged in this production are smallholders growing organic cotton in rotation with other crops. In India organic cotton farmers have increased the proportion of certified land used to grow cotton (as opposed to other organic crops) from 45 per cent to 70 per cent, which contributes in part to the 44 per cent growth seen in India’s production.
However, farmers access to cotton seed that has not been genetically modified remains a huge obstacle for organic farmers, particularly in countries such as China and India where GM cotton dominates the cotton landscape.
Fourth edition of the Uniform, Garment and Fabric Manufacturers Fair will help generate 2,500 new units in Maharastra by 2024 and make the state and Solapur the uniform sourcing hub of India. The fair will be organised by the Solapur Garment Manufacturers Association (SGMA) from December 17 to 19, 2019 at Goregaon Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. It is brainchild idea of the Textile Ministry of Maharashtra and is organised in association with the state government.
This year, renowned brands and corporate houses in uniform and garment sectors will participate in the fair. Around 200 stalls will display the latest trends and designs in different types of uniforms at the three-day event. The fair will bring all brands, retailers, dealers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retail chains, semi-wholesalers, traders, distributors, E-commerce agents, retail chains under one roof.
It will showcase uniform wear, men’s, ladies and kids wear, shoe manufacturers, socks manufacturer, uniform related accessories and uniform fabric. The uniforms segment will showcase school, corporate wear, hospital, hotels, bags, industrial and government uniforms. It will lead to new employment generation and also the pave way for new investments in the state.
Stoll’s knitelligence enables automated sweater knitting development and production and personalised sweaters and knitted products. Knitelligence is an innovative networking concept for the textile production of future. It combines all its software solutions and covers the entire value creation chain of flat-knitting production. From the design idea to development and manufacture, knitelligence offers tailored solutions for every component. Customers will benefit from more consistent workflows, shorter, transparent production cycles, and an increase in quality, productivity, and, therefore, overall plant efficiency. Customers can not only design their processes to be considerably more efficient, but can also react far more flexibly to the requirements of the market.
Stoll, based in Germany, is a leading manufacturer of flat knitting machines. The company was founded in 1873 and has 1,000 employees around the world. Its brand portfolio includes flat knitting machines and pattern software that are used to produce fashion and technical textiles. Stoll exports its products to more than 50 countries worldwide and offers integrated services through affiliated companies, sales and marketing centers and numerous agencies. The Stoll product portfolio comprises 3D knitting machines and patterning software, which are used for the production of fabrics for fashion as well as for technical applications. With innovative technical developments and a modern production environment, Stoll enables a broad spectrum of knitting trends.
